


File Not Found

by chibichibi_k



Series: System Error [2]
Category: Chuck (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Memory Loss, Misunderstanding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-26
Updated: 2012-06-26
Packaged: 2017-11-08 15:27:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/444655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chibichibi_k/pseuds/chibichibi_k
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chuck doesn't remember what happened between him and Casey. Casey has to figure out how to tell him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	File Not Found

**Author's Note:**

> All mistakes are mine and I do not own Chuck.  
> Originally posted to fanfiction.net back in 2008.

Chuck blinked open his eyes slowly and squinted as the sunlight that had sneaked in from the partially open blinds hit his eyes. He snuggled back into his nice, warm pillow and tried desperately to get back to sleep. Chuck was just starting to drift back into the Land of Nod when his pillow shifted. Startled, Chuck forced himself awake and took a look at his pillow.

The pillow was in fact not a pillow. Chuck was not in his bed and snuggling into his soft pillow. Hell, he wasn't even in his room. Chuck was in Casey's apartment, on Casey's couch and snuggling into Casey's chest while he sat on the NSA agent's lap. Thankfully, Casey was still asleep, so Chuck had a chance to get away from the older man before he woke up and ripped Chuck a new asshole for sitting in his lap.

 _What the hell happened last night?_ Chuck thought to himself as he tried tonoeuvre himself out of Casey's lap without disturbing the other man. Chuck tried to remember what happened but it only cause his head to throb painfully.  _Ow. Okay, I'll just go home and try to figure out what happened,_ Chuck mused.

The Nerd Herder shifted carefully in Casey's lap and was getting ready to get up and make a break for it when Casey's arms tightened around Chuck's waist and pulled him close. Chuck tried to get out of the strong arms wrapped around him but for every inch he was able to move away, Casey just pulled him two inches closer.

"Where do you think you're going, Chuck?" Casey asked while he buried his nose into the curls at the back of Chuck's head.

Chuck stiffened when he heard Casey speak. There was no threat or malice in his tone, like Chuck thought there would be. Instead, Casey's voice was light with caring and a subtle sweetness.

Casey felt Chuck stiffen against him and pulled away from the younger man and tried to look at Chuck's face. "Chuck," he said softly. "What's wrong?"

Chuck swallowed nervously. He had no clue how to answer Casey's question. There were way too many things wrong with this situation. More importantly, Chuck couldn't even remember what had happened last night.

"Chuck," Casey prodded. Something wasn't right here. He could understand Chuck being slightly out-of-sorts due to waking up at Casey's but he didn't think that Chuck would become so tense. "Chuck?" Casey tried again.

"Can you let go of me, please?" Chuck's request was murmured and rushed but Casey could hear the fear in his voice.

"Chuck, what's wrong?"

"Just... let go, please, Casey!"

Reluctantly, Casey released his arms from around Chuck's waist. Before he could blink twice, the Nerd Herder was gone and only the sound of the door being slammed shut was the only sign that Chuck has even been in Casey's apartment.

 _What the hell?_ That was the only thought that ran through Casey's head as he stared at the closed door.

Chuck burst through his apartment door. He gave Captain Awesome and Ellie a rushed and slightly slurred 'good morning' before locking himself in his room. He paced restlessly for a few minutes before groaning and flopping down on to his bed dramatically.

"God! Why can't I remember what happened," Chuck groaned pathetically. "All I can remember is being cornered and manhandled by that Crane guy."

Chuck rolled onto his side and buried his face into his pillow. Chuck tried fruitlessly to remember what had happened. Something obviously did otherwise he wouldn't have woken up in Casey's lap. Every time Chuck was just about to remember some tidbit of information, his head would throb painfully.

"Oww," Chuck moaned. He gave up on trying to remember and snuggled deeper into his pillow. Just before drifting off to sleep, Chuck gripped his pillow tighter and murmured, "Not as nice as Casey." Chuck was lost to sleep after that.

Casey heard Chuck's sleepy murmur and watched the Nerd Herder struggle to find a comfortable position is his sleep. He had listened to Chuck's mutterings and winces of pain every time he tried to recall what happened last night. It was increasingly obvious that Chuck had lost his memories of the last twelve hours.

"Just perfect," Casey grumbled to himself. "I finally get the kid to myself for more than five minutes and get to devour those sexy lips of his and he fucking forgets."

Casey had no idea what to do. He could just forget what happened last night and go back to suppressing his feelings for Chuck. Or he could try and get him to remember and possible traumatize the Nerd Herder in the process. This was turning out to be the perfect way to start his day.

He looked back to his monitors and sighed. Casey had no freaking idea what to do. He settled on watching Chuck sleep for the time being. After a few minutes of steady 'Chuck Watch '08', Casey noticed that the younger man was fidgeting restlessly and seemed to be in the grips of a nightmare.

Casey, without hesitation, moved to his front door and headed for Chuck's window. He couldn't just sit back and watch the younger man have a nightmare. Carefully, as to not draw Ellie or Awesome's attention, Casey opened the window and slipped in Chuck's room.

He made his way to the bed and Casey could finally see how bad the nightmare was and just how intense. Chuck was moaning and thrashing in his sleep. Casey approached Chuck's bed, careful of the younger man's thrashing limbs. He really didn't want to get hit by a wayward limb.

Casey settled himself on the bed next to Chuck's sleeping body. His back rested against the headboard and had his long legs stretched out across the bed, which Chuck promptly kicked. Casey looked down at Chuck and sighed before running one hand through Chuck's curls. Casey stroked Chuck's hair and temples like he did the night before in an attempt to sooth the younger man.

As if he sensed Casey's presence, Chuck moved closer to the NSA agent and pillowed his head on Casey's lap. Chuck mumbled happily in his sleep, the nightmare gone.

Casey smiled at Chuck's sleepy smile and let his fingers trace along the sleeping man's jaw and across his cheek. The NSA agent let his mind wander as Chuck slept. He never removed his fingers from Chuck's head.

With nothing to keep his mind busy, Casey soon fell asleep as well.

Chuck slowly came awake a few hours later. He checked the clock on the nightstand and sighed. He had wasted his whole day off sleeping.

"At least my head feels better," Chuck murmured as he snuggled into his pillow.

"I'm glad," a voice rough with sleep replied.

"Mmhm, the head massage was really helpful. Thanks."

"No problem, Chuck." Tender fingers continued to caress Chuck's head. Chuck opened his sleepy eyes to take in the other person in his bed.

Chuck first focused on the deft fingers caressing his abused head. Then his gaze traveled up the muscular arm and finally his eyes landed on the handsome face of Major John Casey.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you have a jaw chiselled by Michael Angelo himself?" Chuck questioned Casey sleepily.

Casey chuckled before replying. "I have been told that. Mainly by you though."

"Well, I have good taste."

"Sure you do, Chuck."

"Whatever, Casey. You know I do – "

Chuck didn't know if it was because he was finally awake now or if it was because he had said Casey's name but he was suddenly aware of a couple of things.

First, Casey was in his room. Second, his head was in Casey's lap. Third, Casey was not only in his room but was also stretched out on his bed. Fourth, his HEAD was in CASEY's LAP!

Chuck bolted off of the bed and to the other side of the room, bashing his skull into Casey's as he did so. He paced back and forth while grabbing at his head.

"W-what... Why... What the hell are you doing?" Chuck barked out.

Casey rubbed at his injured jaw as he regarded Chuck. "God, you have a hard head. It's amazing that that Crane guy last night was able to do some damage to that rock you call a head."

"We're not talking about how hard my head is! We're talking about why you are here and more importantly, why you are cuddling up next to me in my bed"

Casey rolled his eyes before making himself more comfortable on Chuck's bed.  _If he wants to argue, I might as well as be comfy,_ Casey mused.

"Casey," Chuck called, trying to get the NSA agent's attention back on him.

"Hm?"

Chuck growled in frustration. "Let's make this easier for you to understand. What. Are. You. Doing. Here?"

"Well... I  _was_  sleeping."

Chuck gave Casey a stern look which somewhat impressed the NSA agent in its fierceness.

"I noticed that you were having a nightmare. So, I came over," Casey said honestly.

"So... I was having a nightmare and you just decided to invite yourself over?"

"Did I stutter, Chuck?"

"N-n-no." But Chuck certainly did.

"Anything else, Charles," Casey snipped.

Chuck was tempted to say no and leave it at that but something at the back of his currently muddled mind didn't want to. "Yeah, there it."

"Well?"

"Um..." Chuck paused, contemplating what to say next. He did want to know why Casey came. Just coming because he saw Chuck having a nightmare didn't fit with Casey's usual MO. Something from last night, even though he couldn't really recall what it was, was telling Chuck that maybe Casey would do that. "What... what happened last night?" Chuck's voice was soft when he asked. "I can't remember..."

The soft question was not what Casey was expecting at all. He was ready for Chuck to blow up at him and demand answers but not tentatively ask about what had happened last night. How was he supposed to approach the question?

Tell Chuck the truth or lie to him?

Casey couldn't decide. His spy training was telling him to lie to Chuck and spare the Nerd Herder the confusion and subject himself to the fact that he will never have Chuck. Or tell him the truth and take the risk that Chuck will reject him and then demand that Casey be reassigned.

"Casey, please just tell me."

That did it.  _Might as well just bite the bullet,_  Casey thought.

"Alright, Chuck," Casey started. "How about you tell me what you  _do_  remember."

"I remember that I flashed on Crane at the Buy More and that you, Sarah and I went after him." It was then that Chuck noticed Casey's death glare directed at him. "Okay, okay. You and Sarah went after him and I was supposed to stay in the car. I didn't since it is  _never_  safe in the car and ran into Crane, literally. The last thing I remember after that is being manhandled by Crane and then it all goes black and fuzzy."

Casey listened quietly but intently to what Chuck was able to remember and that left a lot for Casey to explain.

_Perfect._

"Okay, Chuck," Casey sighed. "How about you sit down and I'll explain everything that you've found convenient enough to forget." Casey patted the spot next to him on the bed in invitation.

Chuck hesitated for a few moments, contemplating whether to take the spot next to the NSA agent or sit on the floor.  _Bed or floor. Floor or bed._  Comfort over safety won out and Chuck approached the bed and Casey like they were wild animals. His bed wasn't that Chuck was sure of but Casey... The jury was still out on that one.

"Oh for the love of President Regan," Casey groaned before he grabbed Chuck's arm and yanking the Nerd Herder onto the bed. Chuck flailed before landing sprawled across Casey. His face buried in the NSA agent's stomach and his long legs aligned with Casey's own.

Chuck threw a glare at Casey once he had removed his face from the other man's hard stomach. "Ouch! You didn't have to pull me so hard! I could have broken my nose on your abs." Chuck rubbed his sore nose to prove his point.

"Do you want to know what happened or not?"

Chuck looked at Casey from his awkward position and nodded. "I want to know."

"Okay. I'll tell you but be quiet," Casey started and waited for Chuck's nod. He took a deep breath as he gathered his words and began from the top. "You left the car, even though you've been told countless times not to leave to damn car."

Chuck looked sheepish but said nothing.

"When Crane grabbed you, Sarah burst in. Crane freaked, grabbed a piece of a broken two-by-four and slammed it into the back of your head. That's why everything went black and fuzzy."

Chuck flinched at Casey's choice of the word 'slammed' to describe the hit he took. He suddenly felt fingers at the back of his head. Soft and gentle fingers brushed over a large bump on Chuck's head before caressing the undamaged skin around it. Chuck looked up at Casey, wide brown eyes locking with concerned blue eyes.

"Feel it?" Chuck nodded but didn't break eye contact with Casey. "I arrived after Crane knocked you out. You were just lying there..." Casey's fingers tightened subconsciously in Chuck's hair. "Sarah checked on you as I dealt with Crane."

Casey didn't clarify on how he had  _dealt_  with Crane but Chuck could bet that it wasn't pleasant.

"You were only unconscious for about ten minutes but it was still terrifying. We got some medics from the NSA to check you out. Nothing to serious but you do have a mild concussion and the medics said that there was a chance that you could experience anterograde amnesia. That explains why you don't remember what happened."

Chuck let everything sink in. Mild concussion, he could deal with since he had had one before but what was...

"Ant-raid what?"

Casey chuckled at Chuck. "You said that before then the medics said it. Basically you are having trouble keeping new memories."

"Oh."

"Yep. It's only temporary and after another day of rest or so you should hopefully be running back up at one hundred percent," Casey explained.

"Okay, that's good," Chuck murmured. "Will I remember everything when I'm back at one hundred percent or will I never recover the memories of what happened last night?"

"Can't say for sure," Casey thought out loud. "I'll go call the medics and see what they say."

Casey pushed Chuck off of him and made to get off of the bed but Chuck grabbed his arm before he could push himself off of the bed.

"Chuck," Casey warned as he looked over his shoulder at Chuck.

"You haven't explained everything to me yet."

"How so?" Casey questioned as he quirked an eyebrow up at Chuck.

"You haven't told me how I ended up back at your place and in your lap."

 _Damn it,_  Casey cursed mentally. He had thought that he had avoided that part of the night. How do you explain to someone, who can't remember, that you kissed them? Especially, when the kiss-e thought that the kisser hated him.

"It doesn't matter, Chuck. You'll just forget overnight anyway and I'm not going to explain it to you when you won't even remember and I'm not explaining it twice."

"Then just explain it once," Chuck said bravely. He looked Casey directly in the eye before continuing. "If you tell me now and I forget tomorrow I won't pressure you to explain it again."

"You can't promise that, especially if you forget this conversation."

Chuck looked slightly defeated but gathered himself before meeting Casey's eyes. "Casey, just... tell me."

"Fine, Chuck." Casey moved so that he was facing Chuck. "After the medics cleared you I brought you back to my apartment since you weren't supposed to be home last night."

"Yes I was," Chuck protested. "Morgan was going to be coming over."

"That's not what the note we left for Ellie said. Besides would you have wanted to come home with a concussion and worry Ellie?"

"No," Chuck said softly.

"Exactly, Chuck. So you stayed over. When I went to make something for us to eat, you flashed on some con on the TV. You passed out," Casey paused. "Your mind couldn't take the strain I guess."

"Then what happened?"

"I picked you up and we sat on the couch. When you woke up, we talked and then you fell asleep."

"Oh," Chuck whispered. "That's it?"

"Yeah. What else did you expect?" Casey asked.

"Just feels like something's missing, that's all," Chuck murmured more to himself than to Casey.

Casey took in Chuck's slumped posture and the defeated look in his eyes. He couldn't stand looking at Chuck when the younger man was looking so lost.

"I've got to go," Casey said. "I've got a briefing with the General. Get some rest. We don't need you losing everything else that's in your head," Casey said gruffly before getting off of the bed.

"Right. The intersect..."

"Right. See you later."

Casey left through Chuck's window. The NSA agent didn't look back as he made his way back to his apartment. Casey missed the brief flash of realization that crossed Chuck's face before it faded again as he closed the front door.

Casey sighed as he slumped to the floor and banged his head against the front door.

It was for the best that Chuck didn't remember that Casey kissed him. Though, Casey couldn't figure out if it was better for Chuck or for the mission.

All Casey knew was that it wasn't for the best where he was concerned.


End file.
